This paper will present the assessment of children with specific visual impairments or blindness. The needs of the child, including multicultural factors will be discussed.
Assessment of children with visual or other impairment is difficult. Callanan, Doyle, Rickards, Kelly, Ford, and Davis (2001) investigated effects of low birthweight children. Those with birthweight less than 1000 g were assessed at age 5 years. Outcomes included blindness and other impairments (cerebral palsy, deafness, and low IQ). Findings were that difficulty of assessment was associated with higher rates of disability and lower IQ scores, regardless of perinatal and sociodemographic variables. Schanel-Klitsch, Ciner, Graboyes, and Appel (1999) pointed out that many children are erroneously labeled untestable or blind, by eye-care specialists or primary physicians. Specialized tests and procedures are required for assessment of nonverbal individuals with regard to visual functioning and multiple assessments are required for all visual impairment individuals.
Areas of assessment go beyond that of determining visual skills. Individuals are assessed for psychological variables, family stress factors, social skills, and learning rehabilitation. DeLeo, Hickey, Meneghel, and Cantor (1999) stated that individual reactions to sight loss can vary and include psychological distress that is great enough to lead to suicide. Leyser, Heinze, and Kapperman (1996) reported that families of blind or visually impaired children suffer from stress, frustration, chronic sorrow, and crisis. Coping abilities need to be assessed for the child and the family to include health, energy, and morale, problem-solving skills, social networks, resources, and personal beliefs. Eaton and Wall (1999) further elaborate on the need to assess for and develop social skills in the blind or visually impaired. In a survey of skills taught in specialized training programs, findings ...